As a Crimean farmer
by EternallyNostalgic
Summary: Short, themed chapters all centering on our favorite country gal, Nephenee! I'm open to suggestions for future chapters. Various genres and pairings.
1. Chapter 1

Another day at war, that's what it was for the Crimean farmer. But she had to do this, she needed money; she had to support her family when her parents could not. It was a slow crop season this year; Nephenee probably would not get much profit out of her vegetables now. But her mother, father, and five younger siblings needed food on the table and Nephenee was the only one who was caring enough to help the family. Besides, she made many friends last year in the Mad King's war, she was anticipating being able to fight beside them once again.

Ike was a pretty nice guy in Nephenee's thoughts- he DID rescue her and the fellow captured Crimean knights when they were captured and held in Canteus castle

She had to fight for him, too. She had to help him out as much as she could- it was the most she could do to pay him back for all he did for her.

So, whle she was in the middle of combat with an enemy Begnion soldier, Ike ran by and sliced an enemy archer that was aimed for the green-haired woman. After she finished off the soldier, she smiled to him.

"Thank ya much, Ike."

Ike nodded, smiling. "No problem…"

The rest of the group had already advanced on the enemy general and were nearly finished with todays battle.

"Um… Ike? Ya got a sec ta talk?" Nephenee asked shyly.

Ike sheathed his sword and nodded for her to go on.

"Well, it's just that you've been mighty nice to me- Er, not just me, I mean everyone."

Ike appeared thoughtful. "Well, I'm a mercenary. I guess you could say it's my job."

"Ya, I know. But thanks. I am really grateful you're around to help us, my family is too."

Nephenee wasn't good with talking to people, really. Usually she would get shy and tongue-tied. She was trying her best to stay composed now, she even thought of what she would say to him for days, possibly weeks ago.

Ike patted her shoulder. "Sure. What are friends for?"

The green-haired country girl's eyes widened, sparkling with glee. "R-really!? Ya mean, we're friends!?"

Ike nodded. "Of course. I'm just as grateful you're here as well as you are for me. That lance of yours has helped us in countless battles."

Nephenee just stood there, just smiling at him. No one had ever seen her smile so wide…

"Thanks…"

-

**A/N: These are going to be short little adventures in Nephenee's life, in either RD or PoR. Suggestions or requests for future chapters are welcome. :) **


	2. Chapter 2

**The Noble Knight.**

**(Part One)**

Nephenee sighed. It was a beautiful day and she had to spend it training…

The sun was partially covered by small cumulus clouds, a light, cool breeze whispered on her face; and she was trapped in the castle garden being ordered around.

The only good part was that General Geoffrey was nearby, also working hard.

Nephenee never told anyone, but she had quite a crush on the Crimean General.

She couldn't even bear to speak to him, though. What with her country accent and matted hair hidden underneath her helmet, he would never accept her.

She looked over to where he stood, swinging his lance noble-y, if that were a word. Maybe he was swinging it more…Gracefully. Yeah, let's go with that.

Anyway, when she looked over; he noticed and smiled, wiping sweat from his brow and then waving to the blushing country girl. She turned away from him to hide her red face before swinging her own lance again.

"_He's just so…"_ Nephenee mentally sighed. _"So… knightly…" _

Before she knew it, Nephenee was being tapped on the shoulder. Turning around, she found Marcia with a big grin plastered on her face.

"Crackers!" she exclaimed, startling the teal-haired knight. "You were making google eyes at General Geoffrey!"

Nephenee's heart leapt into her throat out of embarrassment. "N-no, I wasn't, I-I was-"

Marcia giggled quietly. "It's okay. I know how you feel…"

Nephenee looked puzzled.

"I mean, I keep looking over there, hoping he would notice me, but…"

"O-oh… You like Geoffrey too?" Nephenee felt downhearted for a moment.

Marcia gasped. "Oh, no no no! I meant Kieran." she giggled to herself, her face turning pink.

"You're slaking, ladies!" the knight in command of the training session noticed the girls gossiping. Both of them quickly went back to swinging their lances at imaginary enemies.

But Nephenee couldn't help but glance over at Geoffrey again. He was working hard, twirling his lance and stabbing the air. He was respected by almost everyone in the Kingdom of Crimea, and Nephenee just wanted to have a chance with him alone. If only for a minute… Or even a second, she would settle.

"Hey," she heard Marcia whisper to her. "Hey, I could get a date set up with you and General Geoffrey…"

Nephenee nearly fainted. "I-I dunno 'bout that, Marcia…"

"Oh, frog's feet! You're so shy, if anyone can open you up, General Geoffrey can."

"B-but I'm just a country gal… A knight like 'im wouldn't-"

Before the poor teal haired country girl could protest, Marcia did the unthinkable.

She called Geoffrey over.

"General Geoffrey! Look! Nephenee wants to talk to you!"

Nephenee trembled as he looked over and began to walk towards the two ladies.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked, eyeing the blushing girl at Marcia's side.

"Yeah, Nephenee here as something really important to say!" said Marcia, beaming.

Though, through Nephenee's point of view, Marcia looked like the very face of evil.

And she was throwing her into a pit of embarrassment.

"What is it?" Geoffrey finally said, looking worried.

Nephenee took a deep breath. "I-I… Wanted to know if ya maybe… Wanted ta, I mean if you wanted to…" she was trying hard to hide her accent to impress the knight.

The training commander dismissed the session, glaring at the three slacking knights before heading inside the castle.

"Just go on and say it," Marcia urged.

"Say what?" Geoffrey was looking anxious now.

Nephenee fidgeted, feeling as though she were shrinking in the presence of her knight in shining armor.

"I… Wanted to know… If you'd like to head t-to Calil's place and maybe e-eat dinner or somethin' later."

Geoffrey stared at her. Marcia glanced back and forth between them.

"Of course," Geoffrey finally stated, smiling warmly.

Nephenee nearly died on the spot.

He did not show disgust at her accent, he did not show signs of annoyance.

In fact, General Geoffrey…Was smiling like the sun, if the sun smiled.

And Nephenee could not help but smile as wide as she could in return.

"I'll see you at dusk? That's fine, right?" Geoffrey said finally, breaking Nephenee's thoughts.

"O-oh, yeah. Sure." she replied.

"Great." he smiled again before turning to leave, and then disappearing into the castle.

Marcia sighed happily beside the Crimean farmer, smiling all the while.

"You really pulled that off!" she exclaimed. "I wish I could ask Kieran out."

Nephenee pondered a moment. _'Well, she did help me…'_

"Why don'cha go find him now." Nephenee said.

Marcia glanced sideways at her. "Huh? Cheese, you know what? I should."

Nephenee smiled. "Ask him out, ya hear?"

"I got it!"

With that, Marcia ran off into the castle faster than a Wyvern could fly through the air.

Now the Crimean country gal was left to with her thoughts. What to wear, what to smell like, what to act like in front of the Crimean General. It was going to take a lot to impress him, and that is all Nephenee wanted to do.

"I guess I'll start by asking Calil what to do…" she muttered to herself. Starting for the Sage's bar out in town, hoping to enter as a country gal, and leave as a sophisticated girl from the valley.


	3. Chapter 3

**Devdan. **

There were many people Nephenee had met through the Mad King's war. Some were kind, respectful, and all around happy folks. And then there were others who were bitter and gave the Crimean farm girl the creeps. A red haired, foul mouthed Sniper comes to mind.

But then there was Devdan. Boy, was he a strange one. He gave the teal-haired girl both the creeps and sudden urge to grin. She supposed he was a likeable person, he was always so positive. About everything.

She sat down on a nearby tree stump, pondering about this odd man as she awaited the next battle.

"Devdan does not like his friends frowning."

Nephenee shot upwards from the sudden voice from behind her, instantly recognizing it as the orange clad Halberdier. Well, it wasn't hard, actually; he speaks in first person all the time.

"Devdan…Uh, watcha want?" she asked. Almost afraid he was going to drill her through more 'smiling lessons'.

He grinned before suddenly throwing a spear to her, which she barely caught in her hand as she stood up and fumbled for it.

"Today, Devdan is going to teach you the ways of the spear."

Nephenee blinked, regaining her posture from catching the weapon. "But I already know how ta use a spear!" she said, a bit irritated.

Devdan shook his head sadly. "You must learn more. You can be as good as Devdan if you keep training."

Nephenee knew she far surpassed Devdan in skill. Commander Ike hardly ever called him out to battle anymore; not as much as he called on Nephenee's lance instead.

Devdan gave her that odd glance he always had- that slightly happy, slightly insane glance. That glance that always made the teal haired soldier wonder if he was ever dropped on his head as a young'inn… He probably was. Twice.

"Nephenee, you are not smiling… Devdan is sad to see his friends not smiling."

Nephenee perked up, smiling so wide that it made her lips sting.

"S- Sorry, Devdan! I'll smile, see?"

Devdan grinned even wider than she was. It looked rather creepy to the Crimean girl.

How could someone be so _dang_ happy in conditions like this?

"Ahahahahahahahahha. Good, good. Now you can train with me!"

The orange clad Halberdier looked down sadly. "Devdan does not like to see people fight. But, Devdan wants to make sure his friends will be safe in battle."

Nephenee smiled, less forceful this time. Devdan was odd, but he had a good heart.

She twirled the spear in her hand, and then pointed it at him. "Well, I reckon we get started, then!"

Devdan put up a hand in protest.

"…What?" Nephenee inquired, slumping.

"Devdan does not like to fight." Nephenee appeared confused.

"Uh… But, Devdan, I thought ya just-"

"You must learn when to raise a weapon, and when to put it down."

Now she was really confused. "Okaaaaay… Nephenee will learn this technique." said the teal haired soldier, Devdan's first person speech beginning to rub off on her.

Devdan laughed. "Ha. Good, good. Now take a swing at Devdan, do not worry about hurting me, just swing."

Nephenee paused, and then swung her spear as fast and strong as she could.

She hit Devdan's torso with all her might with the blunt side of the spear's blade.

…And then Devdan fell over onto the ground with a thud, startling Nephenee to death.

"D-Devdan, a-are ya okay?"

No answer from his unconscious body.

Nephenee looked around frantically before running off into camp.

"Rhys! Rhys!!! I have a biiiiiiiiig problem!!!!"

The End.

**A/N: Heehee. This chapter was fun to write. Poor Devdan. XD**


	4. Danved

**Danved. **

Things were looking bad. Crimean villagers had been rebelling against their queen.

Nephenee was saddened by this. She knew her queen well, and knew that Elincia had a just heart and mind. Yet, these people, these simple countrymen that were no different from her; had just been put down by her lance.

And there was no avoiding it.

Brom, fellow farmer in the same small town agreed to help her out in extinguishing the young rebels. But it still could not feel any more right.

Nephenee, Brom and a new friend of hers, named Heather, decided to meet at Calil's tavern. They knew Calil and her Husband, Largo from the Mad King's War, and had become friends along the way. It was also a common meeting place of the Crimean knights, including General Geoffrey. Everything about the new rebellion plan would be discussed there.

--

"Hmm, sounds bad." Calil sighed; listening closely to the tales Brom had told her. If only they really were just tales, unfortunately, this was real.

"Well, I reckon we hafta start fightin' again…" Brom replied.

Nephenee sat idly at a nearby table, listening to the discussion. Heather sat by her side and passed her a mug of something.

"Here," She offered.

Nephenee declined. "I don't drink."

Heather scoffed before saying, "its water, hun."

Nephenee blushed in embarrassment before taking the mug and sipping from it.

Soon, she found a familiar face come through the door. Clad in yellow-orange armor and dark, puffy hair, he walked up to the counter and greeted Calil, who smiled and replied back to him while offering a drink.

The teal-haired country girl stared at him, puzzled. She swore he was familiar… But everyone she had heard speak to him addressed him as Danved.

"It is impolite to stare. Danved is unhappy to see you stare with a frown."

And then it hit her.

"Devdan!?" she exclaimed, half surprised, half shocked.

"I am Danved. Danved does not know anyone by that name."

Nephenee slumped over in disappointment. All those smiling lessons, all those strange gestures he would make. They mimicked Devdan perfectly. But…He was not Devdan?

"Um, I'm sorry if I'm mistakin', but I know I've seen you before."

"I am sorry. But I do not recall anyone that looked like you. But Danved would be happy to be your friend!"

"No," Nephenee stood up from her chair to convince him. "Remember? I'm Nephenee. We were in the Mad King's war together."

"It is nice to meet you, Nephenee!"

Nephenee wanted to face-palm, but held back to save the trouble of him demanding her to be more positive and happy and… Yeah.

Soon Largo came from behind the counter, an odd look on his face; though the teal haired farmer could tell he was amused.

"Err, Nephenee. This is Danved," He scratched the back of his head before continuing, in a low voice; "He doesn't seem to be connected to Devdan at all. It baffled me too, don't worry about it."

Nephenee stared. "But… He looks jus' like 'im!"

"Yeah, I know. Uncanny, huh?" he laughed heartily.

Nephenee couldn't help but stand there, dumbfounded and mouth agape.

Whoever this strange new person was, he seemed at least a little more tolerable than Danved.

But who was he? Devdan's twin? Did Devdan even have a twin? Maybe Devdan just bumped his noggin and has amnesia? Maybe Devdan had multiple personalities?

Nephenee knew there were many sleepless nights ahead, just for the fact of wondering who Danved is.

**A/N: Seriously! I have lost so much sleep just pondering about who the heck he is! O_o I hope you leave a reviewww~**


	5. Chapter 5

**The Noble Knight.**

**(Part Two)**

--

As soon as Nephenee reached the tavern, she slowed down to catch her breath. She had run all the way there from the castle and was panting ever so heavily. But she couldn't help it, she was far too excited. Geoffrey would eat with her there tonight. Geoffrey!

But she had to get ready, she never dressed nicely for anyone before, but for her knight, she would go all out.

'_But what to wear…?' _her thoughts questioned. She didn't own anything nice or anything a stuffy noble would wear. What would impress a knight of Crimea?

She walked into the tavern and was greeted by Calil along with Largo behind the bar. The building was mostly empty of life now, save for a hung over Makalov in the corner of the dining area, mumbling slurred nonsense.

Nephenee took a seat at the bar and smiled at the owner.

"You want the usual?" Calil asked.

"Nah, I'm not here ta eat 'er drink now." She replied. "Um… I know how ya like beauty and all that, so I reckoned you could… give me some tips?"

Calil giggled. "Well, I think you're fine the way you are. And I don't believe in that 'beauty is only skin deep' thing. I think all you need is a little make-up and you'll do fine!"

Nephenee fidgeted a bit. "Well… I kinda… Wanted ta impress Geoffrey…" her voice was low, almost a whisper. Talking about her favorite knight like this was all too embarrassing.

"Oh?" Calil raised an eyebrow. "Nephenee… I don't want to disappoint you but, General Geoffrey is… Well… He's…"

Before Calil could finish, Makalov began yelling louder and began to come over to the two women. He pulled up a seat next to Nephenee and sat down quickly, he nearly fell out of it when he did so.

"Geh, Sheneral Sheoffrey iiiis a taken… man!" He said slowly, pounding a fist on the counter.

Nephenee wanted to inch away, but Makalov pulled an arm around her and she could not escape.

"Now… lishten here, Nephenee. There ish nofing worsh dan being _REJECTED_ by da one you luff!" he slammed his head onto the table after releasing Nephenee, who just stared at him awkwardly.

Soon after, Marcia walked into the building. Upon seeing her drunken brother, she punched him in the back of the head.

"Yeowch! Marcia…" Makalov cried.

"You pickle-brained monkey! You blew all your funds on drinks and gambling again, didn't you?" she slapped him again before glancing over at a guilty looking Calil. "Why do you provide him with that? You know how he gets!"

"Well," the bar-owning sage began, "I tried not to. But he told me he had just gotten dumped by Astrid… He looked really distraught and begged me for the drinks. I'm sorry Marcia, but I am here to earn money, even if it is an acquaintance."

Marcia sighed. "Ugh, well it's no wonder. What kind of girl would be in love with you, anyway?!"

Nephenee listened carefully to the situation. Maybe love was something she shouldn't get involved with yet… especially whenever there is love; there will always be heartbreak somewhere along the way.

"_But… Geoffrey…"_ he was still coming to eat with her in a few hours, what would she do?

"Nephenee?"

Calil snapped her back into reality. "Is there something wrong?"

"Oh!" Nephenee stood up from her chair. "Well, um… General Geoffrey is taken? This is the first I heard…"

Calil and Marcia blinked in confusion. Makalov moaned in pain before sitting up again.

"Er… No he isn't." Calil implied. "Look, don't you worry about it, Neph. I'll help you get ready if you want."

"But…" Nephenee began to protest, but was quickly dragged away to the back of the building, the room Calil called home.

"Oh and Largo," Calil started, "could you get that drunken monkey out of the bar? He's distracting."

"Can do, dear!" Largo replied.

Marcia face palmed.

-x-

An hour later, the two women came out of the room, though one was hardly recognizable.

Nephenee walked out from behind the older woman shyly, uncertain about how she appeared. She looked very different from how she usually appeared. Her usually greasy, ratty, teal hair was shiny, silky and smooth, tied back neatly with a small blue bow. Her Halberdier's garb caked with dirt and mud from her fields and battles were removed, and replaced with a black top and a knee-length blue skirt.

"D-do I look okay?" Nephenee squeaked, unsure of how Geoffrey would react to her appearance now.

Marcia, who was now sitting at a table chastising her brother, looked up and gasped.

"Is that you?" she exclaimed.

"'Course it is…" Nephenee fidgeted. "Is it… Is it okay?"

Marcia smiled, "It looks fine. It's just enough to impress him without completely being different."

Calil scoffed in the background. "Well! It's the best I could do… She wouldn't let me apply makeup…"

Nephenee smiled. She couldn't wait until her noble knight walked through those creaky wooden doors and saw her this way. For once, she actually felt pretty. Nephenee never really bothered with her appearance before, she thought it didn't matter.

But she really felt good now.

"When do ya think he'll come around?" Nephenee asked no one in particular.

Marcia looked outside. "Probably any moment now. Gee, you're excited, huh?"

Nephenee giggled. "Y-yeah… I hope I do okay."


	6. Life and Death

A young Nephenenee hummed delightfully, swinging the gardening hoe in her hand and tilling the moist soil of her family's field. It was a hot day, but dark, rain bearing clouds were beginning to loom over the lands and make winds dance across the valleys.

She plowed the dirt slowly, her small body only capable of so much. But she smiled all the way, humming that tune that made everything feel free.

Beads of sweat began to form on the child's face, still happily working on the field, covered head to toe in dirt.

She sighed and wiped her brow, only putting the tool down for a moment to look around and view her progress.

"Only two more rows an' I reckon I'll be done." She said aloud. "I'm sure ma's already fixin' supper…" her stomach growled at the thought of food and it made her let out a small giggle.

She picked up her tool again and began to strike the ground once more until she heard a small noise emit from behind one of the tall plants.

"Huh?"

Slowly, she set her hoe down in the dirt and peeked behind her father's crops.

She gasped in awe at what she found, a tiny bird was gasping for breath. Its wing looked twisted in a way that caused it pain, and its chirps were strained and garbled.

Nephenee couldn't believe it; this bird was here and left to die. Its flock must have abandoned it as they flew through the area, fleeing to find shelter from the oncoming storm.

She fingered its broken wing, it felt so loose and detached… She ripped a part of her sleeve and wrapped it around the bird's wing carefully.

It let out more garbled chirps as her small hands worked to bandage the wing properly.

"It's alright…" she whispered. "I'm gonna make ya' feel better."

She stood up from where she was kneeling and glanced at the sky, the clouds grew darker and she could hear a distant roll of thunder. Nephenee glanced back down at the bird in her hand, it's breast heaved in and out with wheezy chirps.

The young, teal-haired girl turned around and started for her father's barn as she felt a few drops of rain begin to tap the top of her head. She had to give the bird shelter, if only for a bit. The storm would pass, and she could try to mend the wing so it could fly back to it's flock.

She opened one of the large barn doors with all her might and slipped inside, letting the door close itself behind her. The horses grunted at the sound of a visitor, but did not pay the girl much mind after she walked past them and sat down on a bail of hay.

The rain began to pound the roof of the barn with fury. Flashes of light were seen through the windows of the roof, they were followed by loud crashes of thunder. And the wind pushed against the barn, causing the woodwork to creak.

Nephenee held the bird close to her chest as she huddled down, a bit nervous. "Ma' will be angry with me... Missin' supper like this."

But dinner wasn't important to the girl. The tiny being clinging to life in her small, dirt-coated hands, was far more important than food, more important than being in her warm house while the storm raged. She couldn't quite understand why, but she didn't want to see something injured and forgotten to just die. No one to remember the life that was lived, no one to say farewell, it didn't feel right. She would help the bird and have it on it's way again by the next morning.

At that moment, as the sky outside flashed brightly, the bird lay limp in her hands, and the panting slowed. The bird stopped moving completley.

Nephenee's eyes widened as she noticed the change, she held her hands up and examined the bird. The life that she was holding had dissapeared. It had died.

Wide blue eyes became blurred with tears. Her mouth moved from a frown, to a grimace, until she let out a soft cry. She could not save a life. She could only watch as it passed before her. Her quiet crying echoed through the barn, "I couldn't save ya'... I wanted to help ya' so badly..."

-x-

The teal-haired soldier swung her lance and defeated another enemy. Sweat dripped from her face as she prepared to engage another opposing swordsman. The Greil Mercenaries were in pursuit of a White Prince they witnessed fleeing the Duke Tanas's mansion, and were now in the middle of fending off the bloated Senator's offense in the remains of what was once called Serenes Forest.

She pulled her lance out of her opponent and glanced ahead. She could not tell who from where she stood, but a horseman further ahead was struggling against a sword-weilding enemy. She rushed ahead, in hopes of aiding her comrade.

The red-clad knight swung his axe at the swordsman, who dodged the blow nimbly and counter-attacked with a powerful lunge at the knight's stomach.

"Kieran!"

Nephenee cried out as she watched the red-clad knight fall from his steed, clutching his stomach, his gloves becoming stained with blood. She picked up speed to reach her friend and made quick work of his attacker, thrusting her lance into the man and defeating him before he could retreat.

"Kieran! Hang on, I'll call Mist!" She moved him a little, so that he sat upright on the ground and he grunted in pain.

"Hah! You think this little wound can defeat me! Kieran, of The - Gah!" the knight coughed up his own blood.

"S-stop it! Don't strain yerself! Just wait. Mist'll get here right quick!"

Nephenee looked around, from as far as she could see - which was not far, due to the thicket of the forest - Mist was nowhere to be found. If she called out for her now, it could alert the enemy, and she and Kieran would be sitting ducks.

She took her vulnerary from her pouch. "I gotta do it, then! Mist is too far away."

She ripped Kieran's shirt to reach the wound and applied the medicine. He grunted in pain, but she held him still and made sure he stayed calm. "I'm gonna save ya!"

His vision began to blur, but he stared at the fellow Crimean knight that was frantically trying to keep him alive. Tears started mixing with the sweat on her cheeks, her body quivering. She started whispering.

"Just like then... I'll do my best! I won't sit here and let you die all alone..." she hiccuped as more tears fell. "But this time... But this time you'll live! Ya won't die on me... not like... the bird..."

Kieran smiled, letting a small chuckle escape under his breath. "Heh... You... truly are worthy of being a Crimean Knight..."

She jerked her head up to look at him. "Don't talk..."

Kieran smiled. "You underestamate me. But, I thank you for your concern..."

Mist found the two after the fighting in the area had died down. After healing Kieran, he stood up and re-mounted his horse as if nothing had happened. This was the guy that walked around with an axe lodged into his skull without realizing, afterall.

Mist had told Nephenee that his injuries were serious, and that if she had not tended to his wound before the young healer could reach them, he may not have lived.

"I was scared... All I could think of was this one time with a bird..." Nephenee mumbled to the healer.

"A bird?"

"Well, I reckon armies are kinda like a flock of birds... We stick together and move as one. If one falls behind, the rest... should not leave it to die. Right?"

Mist smiled. "Of course. I think that too."

A lone bird. A life lesson to a young girl that would become a soldier. She always thought the small life she lost in her hands back then foretold that beorc could not save lives, that it was something only the Goddess could decide.

She learned that was not true now.

**A/N: Wow. Hello there! I haven't updated this story for such a long time, I hope I didn't let anyone down. This chapter... the first three pargraphs were written years ago, but then writer's block hit, and I wasn't able to write for quite some time. I hope those that read this before can enjoy this new chapter, and that new readers can enjoy this as well! I appreciate some constructive reviews, but I'm not gonna complain if you don't. Later~**


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